| LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Official
Record of Debate
(Hansard)
WATERLOO-WELLINGTON
TRANPORTATION ACTION PLAN
June
5, 2003
Mr
Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question
is for my honourable friend the Minister of Transportation.
Early in the new year, I consulted with the 11 municipal
councils in Waterloo-Wellington, challenging them to
look to the promise of the future and highlight for
me their transportation priorities for the next five
years and beyond.
On
April 10, municipal representatives from my riding and
I met with the minister to discuss what we are calling
the Waterloo-Wellington transportation action plan.
On May 1, at the first available opportunity, I informed
the House about our transportation issues, which include
implementing the corridor study of Highways 7 and 8
between Kitchener and Stratford; a new four-lane Highway
7 between Kitchener and Guelph; assistance for the county
of Wellington to rebuild Highway 24 from Guelph to Cambridge;
a repaired and upgraded Highway 6 from Fergus to Mount
Forest; and Waterloo region's light rail transit initiative
and other important transportation projects.
Could
the minister inform the House what action the government
is taking to assist us in Waterloo-Wellington with these
transportation challenges?
Hon
Frank Klees (Minister of Transportation): I'm pleased
to do that. I want to commend the member from Waterloo-Wellington
for his very strong advocacy on the part of his constituents.
I
did, indeed, meet with representatives of the municipality
as arranged by the honourable member. I'm pleased to
report to him, as well as to his constituents, that
in response to that meeting and the various issues that
were brought forward to us at that time, we will, in
fact, be completing the planning for a new Highway 7
from Kitchener to Guelph to relieve congestion by providing
additional access to Highway 401 through its connection
with the Hanlon Expressway.
I
can also report to the member that we'll be widening
Highway 8 between Conestoga expressway and Fergus Avenue
and designing the next phase of the widening from Fergus
Avenue southeasterly to Grand River. In addition to
that, a number of the initiatives that were brought
forward will be taken into consideration and put into
our planning process.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
This
member is doing an outstanding job for his constituents
in advocating for transportation issues. I just want
to say that.
Mr
Arnott: I thank the minister for his response. It's
exciting to note that in recent days, work commenced
to resurface Highway 89 between Mount Forest and Conn
and repair two bridges across the Saugeen River, a $5.4
million job.
This
is hopefully the first of many responses to our Waterloo-Wellington
transportation action plan, and I would expect that
members of the House would agree that improving our
highway system is only one part of the solution in reducing
gridlock, creating jobs and improving our quality of
life.
Will
the minister update the House on actions he is taking
to reduce gridlock and continue to improve the safe
movement of people and goods in our Waterloo-Wellington
area?
Hon
Mr Klees: I'm glad to do that. The fact is, under our
made-in-Ontario Smart Growth strategy, our government
has made some long-term commitments to transit, as well
as transportation -- some $13.5 billion committed over
the next 10 years to deal with the kind of issues that
the member has brought to our attention. In fact, last
August, as part of our Golden Horseshoe Transit Investment
Partnerships, we provided Waterloo some $5.3 million
to help expand bus service and to make improvements
in their transit facilities. I point out to the member
that this is in addition to the $2.9 million allocated
to Waterloo over the last two years to help replace
and refurbish transit vehicles.
I
also want to assure the member and his constituents
that based on our long-term commitment to transit in
this province, his constituents, the area of Waterloo
and, in fact, right across the Golden Horseshoe, there
will be tremendous opportunities for implementing transit-related
initiatives in this province.
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